Final answer:
The idea that most food-borne illnesses are tied to fast food or restaurant meals is false, as contamination can occur anywhere and the majority of cases are sporadic and not linked to specific meals or establishments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that most food-borne illness outbreaks are associated with fast food or restaurant meals is false. While it is true that foodborne disease outbreaks often originate in restaurants, they also occur in other places such as nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and summer camps. Moreover, the majority of reported cases are sporadic, not linked to a specific meal or dining establishment, and the precise source often goes undetermined.
Contamination of food can happen anywhere, including at home where there are no regular sanitary inspections like those in restaurant kitchens. Additionally, most cases of foodborne illness are caused by pathogens or cross-contamination, not by consuming spoiled food. Norovirus and several genera of bacteria are the most common culprits. Symptoms and incubation periods can vary greatly, and while some outbreaks are traced to a specific source - such as the Salmonella outbreak linked to onions - most are disjointed sporadic cases.